Cork-retainer.



No. 789,590. PATENTED MAY 9, 1905. H. GOALE & L. S. GREENSFELDER.

CORK RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.14, 1904.

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nurnn Srarns Iatented May 9, 1905,

PATENT OFFICE.

CORK-"RETAlNF-IFL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,590, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed November 14, 1904. Serial No. 232,691.

' To a, whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that we, HARVEY COALE and LnwIs S. Gimnusrnnnnn, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cork-Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention herein described is an improved device for retaining corks in bottles, and is designed to take the place of wiring or other ditlicult and expensive or insecure or inconvenient means for holding the corks in place in the bottle.

()ur inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the cap in place. Fig. 2 shows the same in central cross-section. Fig. 2) shows the cap applied to a stoppered bottle in central vertical section.

any special conditions are involved in this matter of securing corks in bottles. The process of wiring is most commonly used, and in this the top of the cork is reinforced with a disk of tin on which the crossed wires hear. The application of the wire is effected by machinery somewhat complicated and uncertain in its action, and in any case the method is attended with di'l'liculty. The wire, moreover, in transportation is liable to be materially weakened by rust caused by breakage of a bottle in the case or otherwise, and further loss ensues by displacement of stoppers. Further, wiring even with the top disk of tin leaves the lip of the bottle exposed to dust and grease and is dil'licult and inconvenient to remove in uncorking. To remedy these difficulties, we have adapted the form of stopper known as the Crown (commonly used in place of cork) as a cork-holder. The crown may be used as a cork-holder either with or without the cork-seal; but we have found some objections to it in its original form.

Corks used as plugs in the mouths of hottles are driven into place by special apparatus and are forced down until the upper end is below the top or upper surface of the bot-' tle-mouth. A cap of the general form of the crown with a plain upper surface and a depending engaging flange would rest upon the upper surface or top of the bottle and the plain surface of the top thus he held above the upper end of the cork in place, so that there is left a vacant space between the tin and cork. This impairs the security of the holding, since the cork if forced out by expansion of the contents of the bottle under high temperature would acquire some momentum before striking the cap, and thus tend more strongly to displace it. Further, the cap is liable to indentation in handling. For greater security, therefore, we use a cap having a depressed center, the depression being suflicient to bring the inner surface of the cap upon the top surface of the cork when the cap is applied. This forms practically a strong internal arch and prevents any bulging of the top of the cap under back pressure from the cork and forms a more secure retainer. The cap is applied to the top of the bottle after the cork is in place and pressed strongly down to bring the inward depression firmly upon the top of the cork, and while so held the flanges of the cap are brought into engagement with an exterior shoulder on the head of the bottle, and thus a solid compact retainer is formed, not only holding the cork securely, but also covering and protecting the mouth of the bottle and keeping it clean; but we have found it better to form an opening in the depressed center of the cap in the face which comes in contact with the top of the cork. Preferably this, as shown, is a round central opening, but must not be of such extent as to leave the sharp edge of the tin hearing directly on the cork. The size of the opening should be such, as shown, that an annular flat face is left as a bearing for the cork. With this opening if the cork be too little below the top of the bottle and the pressure thereon he therefore greater the cork will bulge through the hole and accommodate itself to this condition. On the other hand, if the upper surface of the cork be lower than it should be the central part of the cap-apply ing device can more easily depress the inner margin of the annular depressed top into contact with the cork. The form of opening shallow depression in its center with an opening therein, a plain part about said opening adapted to bear directly upon the cork and an outwardly-flaring flange adapted to engage the bottle-neck and constituting the sole retaining means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY COALE. LEVIS S. GREENSF ELDER.

Witnesses:

F. L. MIDDLETON, JOHN BLACK. 

